News, events, road trips, random roadside history and more from Vintage Roadside

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Tejon Pass to Ukiah

Tejon Pass to Hwy 41 via I-5 - Not much to discuss here.

Hwy 41 through Lemoore to Hwy 99 - Here's where this day got interesting. We had seen photos of an A&W Teen Burger statue located in Lemoore. Since we own an original A&W Papa Burger statue this route was a must. Our first stop in Lemoore for directions yielded this amazing display of Volkswagen products. It looked like a car dealer time forgot! It appears to be a wrecking yard with a flair for display.

Not far from the VW display we had lunch at the White Top Drive In. Well worth pulling off Hwy 41 if you're passing through. The chicken sandwich received a "top 5 all time" rating from Mrs. Vintage Roadside. Friendly staff, clean dining area, fun architecture and great food.

Now for the reason behind the detour - Teen Burger. He looks a little rough but seems to have faired quite well considering the environment. He has however lost both feet. We're not sure what winter is like here but August was mighty hot! We were told the restaurant is open sporadically. We're looking to add a Teen Burger statue to our collection so if any readers run across one let us know.

Hwy 99 to Hwy 12 - Hwy 99 through Stockton is a treasure trove of vintage signs. Within a few blocks of each other we found the following examples. The El Rancho looked to be quite clean and well maintained. The faux bark on the St. Francis sign is a nice touch.

The next stop along Hwy 99 was what was once a true American roadside attraction - Pollardville and the Chicken Kitchen. We here at Vintage Roadside think the world needs more 80 foot signs topped with giant fiberglass critters. It's too bad this will soon be a housing development - but at least it had a nice, long run. We're bummed we missed the selling off of everything though - that sheriff rooster would have found a happy home with us! Sad to see the Palace Showboat and the great tiki inspired restaurant being leveled.

Hwy 12 to I-5 - vroom

I-5 north to Williams - cruise control section

Williams to Clear Lake Oaks via Hwy 20 - nice drive over from the valley to the mountains. While in Clear Lake Oaks we found this wonderful motor court still operating. Even though they were full for the night they offered to let us camp on the grounds. So, if you're ever in the area and looking for a true roadside lodging check out the 20 Oaks Court.

Clear Lake Oaks to Clear Lake via Hwy 53 - around the lake. We did see a fantastic old sign in Clear Lake advertising cottages and miniature golf. It was too dark for a photo unfortunately. What a great combination however!

Clear Lake to Hwy 101 via Hwy 29 - Nice drive.

Hwy 101 south to Ukiah - Hit the motel at about 1:30 am. It was a great day of roadside sightseeing.

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Vintage Roadside is an online gift shop and history site featuring t-shirts with authentic vintage graphics from the 1930s - 1960s as well as fine art prints from our travels. We are also actively involved in a wide range of preservation projects.